Itajai (pronounced ee-tah-zaw-ee) is a port city southwest of Rio de Janeiro. There are 90,000 people who live here year round, but in their busy tourist season the population swells to 1 million... It is a very nice little town, very clean, and very friendly people. When we arrived, there was a red carpet laid out for us, with traditional dancers of the area lining both sides, music, fireworks and lots and lots of local people to greet us. As I walked through town I was stopped numerous times to ask where I was from, and how I liked Brazil, and wished a happy stay here

I went to an area on the outskirts of the city, to an ecological park. The forest is call the Atlantique forest, and 95% of this forest has been cut down. The Brazilians are trying to preserve the remainder. Ended up at a beach where the locals go, so I took a dip...unfortunately everybody else had to wear sunglasses I was so white. No comment about what the Brazilian people look like, and how much they wear at the beach...

The afternoon was spent walking about in the town. Very easy to walk, completely flat, with some interesting buildings, but mostly just businesses. It was very sunny, but the ocean breezes tempered the heat.

On our departure, the people of Itajai lined the streets, hundreds of them showing up to see us off. Also, they had fireworks, and music playing, and even a mini-Carnaval. I enjoyed my stay here.